Tag: Matt Corral

Former Panthers QB Matt Corral leads Stallions to win in UFL’s inaugural game

Matt Corral battled through his UFL debut and led the Stallions to a 27-14 win over the Renegades.

Matt Corral’s second chance started off with a good first step.

On Saturday afternoon, the former Carolina Panthers quarterback led the Birmingham Stallions to a 27-14 victory over the Arlington Renegades. He completed 12 of his 21 passing attempts for 201 yards, one score and one interception in the United Football League’s inaugural game.

The highlight of Corral’s feel-good afternoon came right before the half, when he found receiver Deon Cain for an absolute beauty of a 39-yard touchdown throw. Their long-distance connection, along with a successful two-point try on a (much shorter) pass from Corral to running back Ricky Person Jr., knotted the game at 11 apiece with just three seconds remaining in the second quarter.

Carolina traded up to draft Corral in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. The Ole Miss star and 94th overall pick, however, struggled to stick on with the Panthers—who ended up waiving him this past August.

He was subsequently picked up by the New England Patriots, but did not last long there either.

So hopefully, this new life proves to be a much more fruitful one for the 25-year-old passer.

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Former Panthers QB Matt Corral throws beautiful 39-yard TD in UFL debut

Matt Corral has himself a highlight in the UFL’s 2024 opener.

Matt Corral already has himself a highlight in the United Football League.

The former Carolina Panthers quarterback received the starting nod for the UFL’s 2024 regular-season opener on Saturday afternoon. Now a Birmingham Stallions quarterback, Corral was able to chalk up his team’s first touchdown of the spring on this beauty of a pass . . .

When that pigskin came down, it found the hands of wide receiver Deon Cain for a 39-yard visit to the end zone. The score, along with a successful two-point conversion from Corral to running back Ricky Person Jr., pulled the Stallions even with the host Arlington Renegades right before the end of the first half.

Corral began his pro career as a third-round pick of the Panthers back in 2022. He’d sustain a Lisfranc injury during his just second preseason outing, which forced him to miss what would have been his rookie campaign.

Carolina waived Corral this past August.

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Former Panthers QB Matt Corral named starter for UFL’s Stallions

Former Panthers third-round pick Matt Corral is getting the starting nod in the UFL’s opener on Saturday.

Matt Corral’s second chance kicks off this weekend.

As announced on Thursday night, Corral has been named the starting quarterback for the United Football League’s Birmingham Stallions. The Stallions, the reigning United States Football League (USFL) champions, will be taking on the Arlington Renegades, the reigning XFL champions, in the UFL’s season opener at 1 pm. ET on Saturday.

Corral began his pro career with the Carolina Panthers, who selected him with the 94th overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft. Carolina had to trade up to that spot for the Ole Miss star, a move that sent a 2022 fourth-rounder and a 2023 third-rounder to the New England Patriots.

Later that year, Corral sustained a Lisfranc injury in the team’s preseason outing in New England. He’d go on to miss the entirety of what would have been his rookie campaign.

The Panthers would go on to waive Corral the next summer. He was then claimed by the Patriots, who released him on Sept. 18, 2023.

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Former Panthers QB Matt Corral signs with UFL’s Birmingham Stallions

Matt Corral, a 2022 third-round pick of the Panthers, has signed to the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL.

Former Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Corral has resurfaced . . . in another league.

As announced on Tuesday night, Corral has signed with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League. The Ole Miss standout was selected by Carolina in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.

To get to that spring’s 94th overall pick for Corral, the Panthers traded a 2023 third-rounder and a 2022 fourth-rounder (137th overall) to the New England Patriots. The Patriots, in turn, used those picks to take Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe in 2022 and Sacramento State linebacker Marte Marpu in 2023.

After missing the entirety of what would have been his rookie campaign due to a Lisfranc injury, Corral was waived by the Panthers on Aug. 30, 2023. He’d then be claimed, funnily enough, by the Patriots and released later that September.

The UFL, a product of the merger between the XFL and the USFL, will kick off its first season at the end of March.

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Two releases put Patriots QB room back to where it started

The QB room in New England is back to where it started.

And just like that, the New England Patriots’ quarterback room is back to where it started.

The team announced they had released backup quarterbacks Ian Book and Matt Corral in their continued go at musical chairs with the position.

Corral initially signed to the main roster after Bailey Zappe’s surprising release from the team. Zappe was then signed back to the practice squad and elevated to the main roster with Corral going on the exempt/left squad list. The Patriots then went out and signed Book as their second practice squad quarterback next to rookie Malik Cunningham.

Now, the position is back to where it was at training camp (minus Trace McSorley). Mac Jones and Zappe are the two quarterback options on the main roster, while Cunningham is the young, developing prospect behind the scenes.

Perhaps the revolving door position has finally been settled for the Patriots.

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Former Panthers 3rd-round pick Matt Corral waived by Patriots

Panthers 2022 third-round pick Matt Corral has been waived off the exempt/left squad list by the Patriots.

A little over a week ago, the New England Patriots were believed to be cutting ties with former Carolina Panthers quarterback Matt Corral. But that wasn’t exactly the case.

Instead of a release, which was initially reported back on Sept. 9, Corral was placed on the reserve/left squad list. The 24-year-old, who was claimed off waivers by New England on Aug. 31, reportedly left the Patriots without notice.

Now, per the league’s transaction wire, Corral has been officially waived as of this afternoon.

The Ole Miss standout was selected by the Panthers in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft. Carolina moved up to grab Corral at the 94th overall selection—a move facilitated by the Patriots.

Corral would go on to sustain a Lisfranc injury in last year’s preseason visit to, ironically enough, Foxboro. As a result, he did not appear in any of Carolina’s 17 regular-season outings during his rookie campaign.

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Patriots releasing former Panthers 3rd-round pick Matt Corral

Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots are releasing former Panthers QB Matt Corral.

Update (4:32 p.m. ET): Per NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the New England Patriots are not releasing Matt Corral and have placed him on the reserve/left squad list.

Well, if the Carolina Panthers really do want to reunite with Matt Corral, then they may have another chance.

As first reported by ESPN NFL Nation reporter Mike Reiss on Saturday morning, the New England Patriots are releasing the second-year passer. The move is being made to make room on the active roster for fellow 2022 draftee and quarterback Bailey Zappe, who will serve as the backup to starter Mac Jones.

Ironically enough, Zappe was selected by New England with one of the two picks afforded to them by Carolina’s trade-up for Corral last spring. The former went on to appear in four games, two of which were starts, while the latter missed his entire rookie campaign due to a Lisfranc fracture he sustained (in another piece of irony) against the Patriots in the preseason.

Corral, who made the initial 53-man roster for the Panthers this summer, was waived on Aug. 30—along with wideout Derek Wright and linebacker Chandler Wooten. Wright and Wooten have since made their respective ways back as practice squad members, an avenue both general manager Scott Fitterer and head coach Frank Reich were seeking for the third-round pick.

“It was a tough decision,” Fitterer said of Corral’s release. “I like Matt as a person. Any time you have a guy that you take and bring in and you’re developing and you see progress—it’s tough.”

Corral was then claimed off waivers by the Patriots the day after his release. If he clears waivers this time, he’s eligible to rejoin the Panthers as a member of their practice squad.

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Nine days after signing with Patriots, QB Matt Corral being released

Matt Corral lasted nine days in New England.

The Matt Corral and New England Patriots marriage lasted only nine days.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Patriots are releasing the backup quarterback, following news that Bailey Zappe was being re-signed to the 53-man roster.

In a sense, we went through the drama of Zappe being cut and stashed on the practice squad, just to have him re-signed to the same job he had in the first place.

Corral, a 2022 third-round draft pick for the Carolina Panthers, missed his rookie season with a foot injury (Lisfranc). The Panthers ended up with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL draft and took Bryce Young out of Alabama, and Corral’s time with the team ended.

He was claimed on waivers by the Patriots and setup as a possible No. 2 option behind Mac Jones.

There is still a chance that Corral ends up back on the Patriots’ practice squad, assuming the team sees potential value in him down the road. However, for now, they appear to be shifting the focus back to the original plan with Jones as the starter and Zappe as the top backup.

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Patriots Wire Podcast: Previewing Week 1 and Patriots’ upset potential over Eagles

One of the hosts of the Patriots Wire Podcast picks the Patriots to upset the Eagles on Sunday.

A busy offseason for the New England Patriots culminates into a tough head-to-head meeting with the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Football is back, ladies and gentlemen, and so is the Patriots Wire Podcast.

It was a reunion of sorts for Ryan O’Leary and I, sort of like there will be this weekend, when quarterback Tom Brady returns to New England to be honored by the Patriots.

This week, we delved into some of the offensive line concerns and hopes surrounding the newest offensive additions with players like Ezekiel Elliott, Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte coming into focus. We also previewed the Week 1 matchup with the Eagles with a surprise upset pick.

Follow the Patriots Wire Podcast:
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Are you worried about the Patriots in 2023? Will they shock the world by knocking off the Eagles on Sunday? You can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Patriots QB Matt Corral’s work ethic impressing Bill O’Brien

Matt Corral is already making a good impression on Patriots coaches.

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien had high praise for quarterback Matt Corral, when speaking with media members on Tuesday afternoon.

Corral joined the organization on August 31, as New England added to the quarterback room. There is no defined role for the former Ole Miss star yet. Coach Bill Belichick declined to comment on his standing within the room on Monday.

However, O’Brien is pleased with Corral’s work ethic despite the uncertainty. Per the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, Corral has been studying film often and working long hours to get up to speed.

The talent is certainly there for the quarterback. He was a highly-regarded college signal-caller and third-round draft pick, who threw for a total of 8,287 passing yards and 57 touchdowns in four seasons with the Rebels.

It would be easy to assume Corral would have a sizable role in the quarterback room due to Bailey Zappe’s recent struggles, but as of right now, the Patriots are keeping things close to the vest.

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